Sandy Benefit at Exchange Alley; Pearl & Ash’s Renegade Wine Dinners

• On Thursday, August 15, Bagatelle will unveil its new sidewalk café and lunch menu, which will be served from 11:30 a.m to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. The French-inspired lineup includes fresh and smoked Scottish salmon tartare with shallots, salmon roe, dill, crème fraîche, and an olive oil crostini, as well as a tomato-and-goat-cheese tart. [Grub Street]

• Pearl & Ash is continuing its Renegade Wine Dinner series through the fall. Each night, dinner begins at 7 p.m. with a five-course seafood-focused tasting menu crafted by chef Richard Kuo and sommelier Patrick Cappiello. For tickets, e-mail reservations@pearlanddash.com. The Chablis tasting on August 13 is $325 per person; the Loire Valley tasting, September 3, is $95. [Grub Street]

• More on Amanda Freitag’s reboot of the landmark Empire Diner: The chef’s restaurant will serve imaginative takes on diner standards, but the name is still TBD. Plans include ultimately being open 24 hours a day. [Grub Street]

• Paul Gerard’s Exchange Alley commemorates one year in business on August 15 with a special visit from NOLA-based artist Gregory Siff, who’ll exhibit new artwork. Proceeds from sales, and 10 percent from each dinner check, will benefit the Hurricane Sandy–related relief efforts of the organization Graybeards. Call 212-228-8525 to make reservations. [Grub Street]